A disc replacement could be the solution you need when a damaged spinal disc causes ongoing neck or back pain. Our expert surgeons at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics replace your old disc with a new one, eliminating the source of your pain while restoring normal spine movement. Call our office in Jacksonville, Florida, or use the online booking feature to determine if you’re a candidate for disc replacement surgery today.
A disc replacement, also called total disc arthroplasty, is a minimally invasive procedure to replace a damaged spinal disc with an artificial disc.
The artificial disc (also called a prosthesis or prosthetic disc) restores the space between the two vertebrae, preserves the spine’s structure, and allows movement and flexibility.
After a disc replacement in your neck (cervical spine) or lower back (lumbar spine), you’ll be able to bend in all directions without limitation or pain.
When discs lose their structure, you end up with spinal instability, pinched nerves, inflammation, and pain. Our team at Integrity Spine & Orthopedics typically recommends a disc replacement to treat two conditions that damage the disc’s structure.
Discs naturally break down over time because they lose water and dry out. The disc weakens and collapses.
Spinal discs consist of an inner gellike core surrounded by a tough outer cover. You develop a herniated disc when wear-and-tear or dehydration damage the cover, leading to a tear that allows the gel to leak.
At Integrity Spine & Orthopedics, our surgeons make a small incision in the front of your neck to replace a cervical disc. We can access the lumbar spine through a tiny incision in your lower back. Then we remove the damaged disc and insert the artificial disc.
Your artificial disc resembles the natural disc’s structure, with two metal plates and a plastic piece between them. Each metal plate has teeth that securely hold the disc between the two neighboring vertebrae.
Most people who have minimally invasive disc replacement surgery can go home the same day. You’ll experience some pain and weakness for a short time, temporarily limiting your activities. Most patients return to their daily routine in a few weeks.
In addition to tiny incisions, minimally invasive surgery allows our surgeons to avoid cutting the supporting muscles. This results in less pain after surgery, and you heal faster.
Call Integrity Spine & Orthopedics or request an appointment online today to learn if a disc replacement might relieve your neck or back pain.